V1E6 - He, Unworthy
Days began blurring by since the first day. Despite his efforts to distance himself from them for Canon purposes, Team RWBY and JNPR really latched on to him. Especially Ruby and Jaune, thought maybe it has to do with how he helped them out and they feel obligated to hang out with him. In a sense he somewhat expected this to happen, Ruby is basically a stray puppy he fed on his way home and Jaune seemed to look up to him, for some arcane reason.
I mean, thanks? But please reconsider?
By extension, their teams are also hanging by. Ever since their talk on the balcony, Anon and Weiss are on better terms. They still can't really stand each other's personality but their insults lack the venom they once had. Now, it felt more like a pair of rivals sniping at each other. This is reinforced in their academic endeavours, with both of them making a competition out of their grades.
Blake had been trying to gather information from him since they met, so her presence is unsurprising as well. However, she seemed to have taken his declaration that he was "on her side" to heart. He has had every opportunity to pull the rug from under her and blow her cover yet he didn't do anything to endanger her. If anything, he's been covering for her when her secret was threatened. One good example was when he was dragged around by RWBY during one weekend and her bow came loose. Blake was about to panic when the bow nearly flew away over the dock's waters. And here came Anon, snatching the ribbon before it disappeared. Sure he fell into the water, but hey, it was for a good cause.
Yang was, as expected, the flirty and bombastic bombshell of the group. She was always upbeat and she really looked out for her younger sister. He didn't understand why she flirted with him, he hasn't really done anything to catch her interest. Thought to be fair on her, he isn't the only one she flirts with.
I'll reiterate, you have shit tastes in men.
Pyrrha is really nice and polite but kinda bland, so basically what everyone expected.
So she is a leaf, after all.
Ren and Nora are something else. Nora is one big ball of energy with a black hole for a stomach whilst Ren is chill, though Nora does test his mettle at times. It's not unusual for Nora's pranks and shenanigans to leave Ren mentally and physically drained.
Hang in there, buddy. You'll get to tap that later at least!
Today seemed to be Jaunedice day because Nora was recounting a dream of hers and Jaune looked particularly bummed out after one of the good witch's class.
I mean, Glynda did say that she would give him extra attention but this looks worse than usual.
"So! There we were," She wiggled her fingers about with a suspenseful tone of voice. "In the middle of the night..."
"It was daytime." Ren corrected in between bites of his meal.
Yang cupped her face, totally invested and immersed in Nora's tale. Blake was in her books and Weiss was filing her nails.
"We were surrounded by dozens of Ursai!" She exclaimed.
"Two Beowolves." Ren corrected before drinking from his cup.
Anon's attention was divided between his scroll and an essay he was preparing for Oobleck's history class. Just in case.
"But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!" Nora held her fist in the air triumphantly.
Anon gave pause.
"Nora? Don't Grimms sublimate upon death? How the hell could you make a rug out of smoke?"
Ren sighed heavily, clearly tired of hearing that story over and over again.
"Please don't bother. It's been a month and she's still having this dream."
Ruby and Pyrrha, meanwhile were looking over Jaune worryingly, the poor guy was poking his food half-heartedly. Pyrrha was the first to speak up.
"Jaune?" He hummed quietly in response. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah?" He questioned, more to himself than to her. "Why'd you ask?"
"It's just that you seem a little..." Ruby wondered for the right word to use. "Not ok."
Everyone but Anon turned their heads to Jaune, who felt uncomfortable under all of their stares.
"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!"
He held a double thumbs up with the most awkward smile one can imagine. Anon snorted as he kept his eyes on his scroll.
"Hey Weiss, you said my smile's bad?" He pointed to Jaune. "How's that for comparison?"
"Your's is worst by a mile."
He rolled his eyes.
"Sure it is."
CRDL could be heard across the cafeteria being loud assholes as usual. Velvet wasn't there and for that, Anon was grateful.
"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school!" Pyrrha was worried about her friend, something Anon respected.
"Who? Cardin Winchester?" Jaune waved the accusation away. "Nah, he just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!"
"Oh dear me!" Anon exclaimed flatly. "Practical jokes you say! You mean like that one time where he knocked all of your books and notes out of your hands? That was funny!"
Jaune laughed awkwardly as Anon sounded more and more aggravated.
"Thanks again for helping me picking it all up."
"You're welcome! Oh! How about that time he stuck your shield in a door frame and you were stuck for literally an hour! You're welcome again by the way!"
Jaune began scratching the back of his head as his claim died with his every word.
"And who could forget that hilarious prank where he threw you in a rocket locker and launched you into the woods! SUCH FUCKING COMEDY!"
At this point, everyone gave pitying looks to Jaune.
"I didn't land far from the school..." He tried to laugh off.
Anon rubbed his eyes, definitely pissed off at Jaune's cowardice and Cardin's douchebaggery.
"Jaune, for fuck's sake. Do everyone a favour and grow a spine, please."
Pyrrha sucked on her teeth while everyone else winced at the insult. Jaune looked down in shame.
"I'm not trying to be mean because I find it fun, Jaune. You need to stand up for yourself."
"Whilst I disagree with the way he said it, he's not wrong," Weiss added.
Pyrrha supportively held his shoulder.
"Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask." She smiled kindly.
Nora slammed her hands on the table like an excited child.
"Oh, I know!" She snapped a carrot in half. "We'll break his legs!"
Anon smiled sinisterly.
"I'll get the sledgehammer."
"Guys, really, it's fine!" Jaune tried to defuse the atmosphere with little success. "It's not like he messes with me exclusively, he's a jerk to everyone."
A distressed exclamation interrupted the conversation, Anon recognized that voice and he felt his blood boil. The table looked over and saw CRDL mocking and heckling Velvet, all while surrounding her so she has no escapes. Pyrrha glared in disgust at the unfolding scene.
"Atrocious. I can't stand people like him."
Blake glared, growling under her breath.
"He's not the only one..."
Yang leaned her head on her hand, frowning sadly.
"It must be hard to be a Faunus." She exhaled.
Anon grabbed his scroll and snapped a picture of them picking on Velvet. He immediately sent the picture to Ozpin with the caption: "A bunch of assholes got into your school. They do the same to Jaune and a few others. Do something before I do."
A pained cry made Anon's head whip upward, They grabbed Velvet's rabbit ear and began pulling on it.
"Please stop!" she pleaded. "It hurts..."
Tears began growing in the corner of her eyes. Blake gnashed her teeth frustratedly, she was startled went she saw Anon slam his hand on the tables as he got up. There was something about his eyes that shocked her, they weren't hollow. His eyes were wide and full of distress, screaming for the scene to stop. The distress turned to rage, a demon-like masque of barely restrained fury. He left his seat in a hurry, clearly going over to CRDL's table.
"What are you doing?" Ruby asked, worried by Anon's sudden shift in attitude.
He turned back to the table, a look of disgust and scorn. Not so much directed at them but to anyone nearby, those who did nothing.
"What you fucking assholes should be doing," He growled, loud enough for a few tables worth of people to slouch in self-disappointment.
As he was about to resume his war march on Cardin and his goons, a hand clasped around his forearm. Jaune held it tightly, his eyes beckoning him to not interfere.
"Please. Don't," he begged desperately. "I don't want anything to happen to you because of them."
Anon ripped his arm from Jaune's grip and glared into his eyes.
"I can't do that, Jaune."
He walked away from Jaune, who gripped the side of his head with a worried grimace.
Anon pulled out his scroll and sent the photo of Velvet being bullied by CRDL to CVFY's group chat. the caption read: "On fucking sight."
As Anon passed by a table, he stared at an empty tray. The owner, an eagle-eyed Faunus, looked to him then to Cardin.
"You gonna do something about that guy?" he asked nasally.
"If I do?"
The eagle looked to Cardin with scorn, he slid the tray to Anon discreetly.
"Make sure to leave a mark." The eagle spat with anger.
Anon gave a raging grin.
"Sir, fucking yes, sir." He snatched the tray and marched over to Cardin menacingly.
CRDL were too busy insulting poor Velvet to see Anon coming over. Cardin laughed cruelly.
"You're damn right Russell, She's a freak!" He kept laughing.
"WINCHESTER!"
Cardin was startled by someone yelling in his ear but before he could complain, the edge of a dining tray cracked across the ridge of his nose, breaking it. He screamed in pain as Anon whacked him in the face with the heavy tray before backing up. Russell rushed to his partner's side as Dove and Sky stood between the three.
"Hey!" Dove colled out. "What's your problem?!"
"Take a guess, extra." He spat at his feet. "Move, I have business with the cock-holster in chief."
Cardin pushed Russell away and stood from his seat, squaring up to Anon.
"Do you have any idea who you're messing with, you bastard?!"
Anon snorted.
Too easy.
"A bitch whose dick is so small, he compensates by picking on people who won't fight back."
A school's a school, no matter what kind it is. People began staring and some even hollered at Anon's roast. Velvet looked horrified at the scene before her, afraid for Anon's safety. He motioned her to leave with a flick of his head.
"What's wrong?" He moved his arms to his sides, posing challengingly. "The moment someone actually puts up a fight you freeze?! What a fucking joke you are!"
Velvet got the message and reluctantly sneaked off, much to Anon's relief. Cardin growled as he cracked his knuckles.
"I'm going to kick your ass!"
Anon clapped his hands together in a hunch.
"C'mon then doggy, let's go for a walk!" He made clicking sounds with his tongue. "C'mon boy!"
"GET HIM!" The enraged bully ordered his lackeys.
Anon began backing up with a hop before going into a full sprint out of the cafeteria.
...
"Find the prick!" Cardin barked as he and his team searched for Anon. "And when you do, beat him black and blue! Next time I see him, I want him to be bloodied and bruised!"
*RDL grunted affirmatively as they turned the courtyard upside down in search of the person responsible for their leader's broken nose. They searched high and low, in the hedges and the bushes and every other corner.
Idiots.
Anon overlooked the search in amusement as he stood over them on a balcony. The most uncovered, unobscured and unobstructed place in the entire courtyard. He stayed in a low crouch, eyeing them from the gaps in the handrails. The team dispersed further and further until they were completely separated. Anon felt a wave of relief once he lost sight of all of them. The relief turned to dread as he felt a hand clamp around his shoulder.
"Gah!" He cried out.
He was about to start swinging but as he whipped his head around, he saw a cute pair of bunny ears. Velvet yelped as she held her arms up to block a strike that never came. Anon held his chest as if to stop his heart from jumping out of his ribcage.
"Don't scare me like that!" He whisper-yelled.
"Sorry!" She whispered back.
He whipped his head back, fearing that his exclamation gave away his position. Luckily, there were not around.
"Coast seems clear enough." He mused before turning to Velvet. "What'chu want?"
Velvet grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt and dragged him inside.
"What's the rush?" He complained as he nearly stumbled. "What's wrong-"
"What's wrong?!" She nearly yelled, clearly upset. "What were you thinking?!"
It took Anon a grand total of two seconds to realize she was talking about what he did to Cardin.
"Uh... He a bitch ass mothafucka? Do I need a reason more to kick his punk ass?"
Velvet held the bridge of her nose with an exasperated sigh.
"Anon, you can't just go around hurting people."
"Why not?" Anon asked angrily. "What? you want me to just stay there and let you suffer like every other dipshit in that goddamned room?"
"I didn't ask for your help!"
"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!" he shouted suddenly. "I'm not letting you get hurt just because you didn't ask for it!"
"Anon-"
He cut her off.
"No, Velvet!"
Anon sighed through his nose as he ran his fingers through his hair. Velvet stood there, still upset but somewhat mesmerized by his current mood. Anon always appeared to her as a low-energy kind of person who's hard to upset. The only other time she ever saw him like this was during their first lunch together. He definitely seemed to have a sore spot towards bullying.
"Anon, I appreciate your sentiment," She explained after taking a calming breath. "But this isn't the way."
He rolled his eyes so far into the back of his head, the pink was visible. The sneer on his face only exacerbated his exasperation.
"Every fucking teacher I've ever met has used that milquetoast, boilerplate response," Anon explained as he crossed his arms. "And like fucking clockwork, it's never done anything!"
He shook his head.
"If there's anything I've learned with fuckheads like Cardin, they only regret it once something horrible happens." His gaze grew dark. "Either for them or for the victim. And with the latter, it's..."
He gazed to the sky, his eyes growing duller and duller.
"Far too late, by that point."
Anon's eyes were back to their usual hollowness, as Velvet attested.
"Anon."
He exhaled as the bags under his eyes seemingly grew.
"C'mon." He walked past her. "Lunch's almost over and we have Oobleck next."
Velvet and Anon hadn't talked since they were on the balcony. The cold silence had persisted until Anon cursed.
"Fuck! I forgot my papers at the tables."
He turned, ready to sprint for the cafeteria and back.
"Go ahead, I'll be there."
"Anon." She looked worried. "I know it's kinda coming out of left field but..."
He waited, his back still turned to her.
"The way you talk about this all of this stuff like you lived it."
His head hung, Velvet couldn't see his face but it was easy to imagine him with the same expression he had made when they first had lunch together. With his eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted to the point of breaking.
"You said that if I need help, that you'll be there for me." She held her hand over her heart. "The same applies from me to you."
He nodded silently.
"If you ever need to talk, I'll be there to listen."
Anon took his time to answer, enough for the bell to ring and for the classroom rush to start.
"I'll tell you all about it." He finally answered, his voice subtly hoarse. "One day."
Anon walked into the emerging crowd with hands in pockets, leaving Velvet to go to Oobleck's class alone.
...
Blake had sent him a message on his scroll saying that she had picked up his stuff. Too bad he had already checked the cafeteria and asked the janitor before receiving the message. Annoyed at this waste of time, Anon foot-slugged his way to Oobleck's lesson. The classroom rush had ended and the halls were unnervingly quiet.
So this place can be creepy.
Occasionally, Anon could hear the clicking of soles on the hard floor. Every time he would turn around, he was greeted with nothing. He kept walking inside the hall, checking his phone to navigate the veritable maze that was Beacon's many, MANY halls.
"And next turn... Here."
A soon as he made the turn, he felt something colliding with his gut. Pain radiated as he was launched backward against a wall, knocking the wind out of him in the process. Pain became all too common as he felt a rain of blows hit his back, front, arms, thighs and head. His vision flashed as the pain kept on coming, seeing Cardin's teammates with sneers and sadistic smirks as they beat him up. Russel kicked him across the face, cutting the inside of his cheeks on his teeth. after a few torturous minutes of savaging the auraless man, they finally had enough and let Anon breathe. He rolled unto his back, gasping for air. He caught Russel wincing before putting the veneer of a sadistic asshole.
"No one messes with Team Cardinal and gets away with it!" He declared.
He crouched down to meet Anon's eyes.
"What's wrong, boy?" He mocked. "You're the one who wanted to go for a walk."
Anon spat blood in his face.
"Fuck your mother." He cracked a bloody smile. "Oh, wait. Half your town already does that."
Russel wiped his face with disgust before kicking Anon one last time in the face, giving him a black eye.
"Serves you right, asshole." He waved his fellow goons away. "We've done as he asked. We're done here."
Anon's vision blurred as *RDL left the scene, momentarily blacking out. After what felt like an hour, Anon finally gathered enough strength to get up.
I feel like crap...
He started to pat himself down and was surprised by the restraint they've shown.
Nothing's broken?
He then thought back to what Russel said, then to Cardin's order back in the courtyard.
So they stopped at black and blue? How nice of them...
He held his jaw then checked his teeth.
Good, I haven't lost any more of them. I need as many of them as I can keep, man.
He debated whether or not to go to the infirmary but considering nothing's broken or missing...
"Mama didn't raise no bitch." After hearing himself, he cringed. "I feel like Jaune now..."
Anon slogged over to Oobleck's class, resting his head against the door once he arrived. The pain wasn't debilitating but it was really getting on his nerves.
I hate these fucking puns so much.
He knocked on the classroom's door.
"Yes?" Oobleck asked from beyond the door.
Anon slammed the door open, startling the class to attention. Everyone who could see him gasped at the state he was in.
"Hey, bitches ." He greeted casually. "Guess who ain't dead yet."
Oobleck zoomed in from of him, his eyes hidden behind the thick glass lens of his spectacles. He held a pointing stick and with a whole thermos full of what Anon thinks is liquid speed.
"Mister Anon Hope." He looked him up and down, clearly unhappy with his current state. "Usually, I would complain about your lateness but seeing as you have blood dripping from your lips, a black eye and probably many bruises, I will ask this instead:"
He cleared his throat.
"WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU, YOUNG MAN?!"
Anon's eyes landed on Cardin, who smirked cruelly despite his bandaged nose. Anon sniffed hard before spitting blood and mucus onto the floor.
"Some bitch sent his groupies to do his job for him." He sneered at him, who returned the look of disdain.
Oobleck zoomed to Cardin, an inquisitive sound to his voice.
"Now, why would he do that?"
Anon snorted.
"Cause he ain't no man, he's a bitch. Because if he wasn't, he'd do it himself."
Cardin rose from his seat.
"You wanna go, asshole?!" He shouted furiously.
Oobleck stood in front of Cardin, his hand gripping his wrist like a vice. Oobleck's blue eyes shone angrily through the clear glass.
"Stand. Down," He ordered coldly.
Cardin felt a bead of sweat drip from his forehead. He sat down, intimidated by the Beacon history teacher. Oobleck zoomed back to Anon.
"In any case, are you sure you do not wish to go to the infirmary?"
Anon sighed.
"Not the first time I got the tar beaten out of me. I'll live, Doc."
Oobleck nodded a few times.
"Very well then." He turned around and walked toward the board. "I am not happy with this, but... If you so wish, you can stay."
Anon graciously bowed his head before walking to Weiss, Pyrrha and Blake's desk. Weiss grimaced at his dishevelled and beaten appearance. Pyrrha looked very upset about Anon's condition, shooting borderline murderous glances over at Cardin. Blake was upset as well but looked more worried about Anon's well-being rather than being angry.
He held his hand out to Blake.
"My stuff."
Blake quickly took out his folded papers from her pocket and gave them back.
"Thanks."
She gently held his wrist back.
"Thank you for standing up for her," She whispered into his ear, a thankful smile on her lips.
"You're welcome, nightshade," He replied casually.
"Please be careful."
"I'll try."
Anon walked over to Velvet's table. Cardin kept glaring at him, obviously still angry about his defiance, something he replied to by holding out his tongue cheekily. On his way to the only other seat available, Jaune winced hard at the sight of his injuries. Anon took his seat next to a horrified Velvet. As soon as he sat down, she began gently patting his face to assess the damage. Oobleck saw this and zoomed over to deliver a first aid kit.
"You idiot!" She admonished quietly. "I knew this would happen!"
"I can take it."
"So can I!"
"I know. But I don't want you to have to."
Oobleck continued with the lesson, occasionally looking over to Anon as Velvet patched him up.
"Now, where was I?" Oobleck thought aloud.
"The Faunus War, sir." A student answered.
"Ah yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War-" He zoomed up to the front of the class, framed by the map covered in papers behind his desk. "-humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie."
Anon winced as Velvet dabbed an alcohol-soaked cotton ball on his wounds.
"That sounds like an unfathomable logistical nightmare. And dumb."
"I completely agree!" Oobleck admitted. "But such were our ancestor,"
He sipped from his thermos.
"Very dumb." Oobleck kept zooming around. "NOW! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you,"
Oobleck kept talking really fast and zooming around as Velvet stroked Anon's black eye.
"Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated against because of your Faunus heritage?"
A few students looked at each other awkwardly, reluctant to bring up their past problems. Velvet moved her hands idly, clearly bothered by the question.
"Vel." Anon raised her chin. "I think they need some encouragement."
She looked to her fellow Faunus and nodded her head slightly before raising her hand high. A few of the Faunus students saw her and raised their hands, encouraged by her. Oobleck shook his head in disappointment.
"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" He took an uncomfortably long gulp from his thermos. "But, back to the lesson!"
Class rolled by mostly as it did in the show, with the exception of Jaune actually paying attention and not making a clown out of himself.
Probably because I slammed that door... Thanks, me!
Cardin scoffed at the unfolding discussion of the battle tactics during the battle of Fort Castle.
"Of course they were better trained. It's easier to teach a dog to do tricks than a person, after all."
Anon sighed as Oobleck shook his head in disappointment.
"You really are beyond stupid."
Cardin slammed his fist on his desk.
"The hell you say?!"
Anon turned to face him, straddling the backrest of his chair.
"Think about it for one fucking moment. Lagune sent his men, who were exhausted from a march and sleep-deprived, and sent them against well-rested men and women with home-turf advantage. By all metrics, training doesn't matter when the other person can barely stand."
"Really?" Pyrrha questioned. "I would have said that the Faunuse's better senses, night vision and their nocturnal piers would have countered the surprise night-time attack."
"That's also valid, Pyr. This battle can be seen from many angles but at the end of the day, Lagune ends up as a fucking jobber no matter how you slice it."
"True," Blake nodded, seeing the logic behind Anon's reasoning. "General Lagune was inexperienced and his mistakes saw his massive army routed and him thrown in a cage."
Anon narrowed his eyes at Cardin with a smirk.
"Guess he wouldn't be remembered as such a bitch if he paid attention in class."
Cardin rose from his seat with clenched fists. Anon threw his arms to his sides in a challenge. The good doctor zoomed in between the two.
"Stand down, both of you!"
Cardin growled as Anon kept his shit-eating grin.
"I'm sitting right here though, doc."
Oobleck paused.
"You are correct..." He turned to Cardin. "Please sit down, mister Winchester."
"WHAT?!"
"Sit. Down." Oobleck ordered.
Cardin complied reluctantly with a huff. Anon laughed at the whipped Cardin and Oobleck was having none of this.
"You and Mister Hope will stay after class for additional reading."
Anon and Cardin groaned in unison, for once agreeing that this sucked.
...
"Your behaviour today has been unacceptable!" Oobleck scolded rapidly. "Absolutely abhorrent!"
Both Anon and Cardin had been sat down after class ended and currently, Oobleck was making it known that he wasn't happy with them.
"I do not know why you are acting this way, but it stops now!" He took a long gulp from his thermos. maybe too long.
Does this fucker breathe?
"You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, so I expect you to act like it." Oobleck went on his tangent. "History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it..."
"Yes, doc, we get it." Anon sighed exasperatedly. "If this..."
He inhaled hard, swallowing back the insult he wanted to use.
"Guy... can stop being a petty bully, I'll happily back off."
Oobleck paused before looking expectantly to Cardin.
"Piss off!" He yelled in outrage. "I'll do whatever I damn please!"
"Then I'll keep being honest, you worthless, unworthy Bitch."
Cardin sprang from his seat and held Anon by the collar.
"I'll break you in half!"
"Bring it, you arrogant cun-"
The two froze as they felt a menacing wave coming from Oobleck. In Anon's case, he could literally see the angry waves coming from the good doctor.
"Enough," He ordered coldly.
Cardin slowly let go before sitting back down docilely. Anon remained stunned by the sudden shift. The atmosphere itself physically felt different before, during and after Oobleck's anger.
"Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class!" he waved them off "Now, run along."
Well then, good thing I made it in advance!
With that, the good doctor zoomed out of the classroom and passed a waiting Pyrrha and Jaune in a green and white blur.
Cardin stormed out of the class, obviously pissed off at the turn of events. On his way out he bumped hard into Jaune, sending him on his ass.
"Ow!"
Cardin chuckled at Jaune's pain before disappearing into the hall. Anon appeared as Pyrrha helped Jaune to his feet.
"You know, I really will break his legs." She growled under her breath.
"I recommend Glynda's class," Anon commented. "Then went you break his legs you can claim an accident."
Jaune winced at the mental image.
"Yeowch!"
Anon looked at the pair inquisitively.
"What are you two doing here?"
"Jaune wanted to wait for you."
He smiled sheepishly at Anon.
"I just wanted to check on you, you looked..."
"Like shit?"
"I mean..." Jaune hesitated before guiltily admitting that yes, Anon did look like shit.
"It's fine." He massaged his sides. "As I said, not my first rodeo."
This didn't make him feel better about the situation.
"You on the other hand look pitiful," He told Jaune.
"I know..."
Jaune looked really bummed out. Pyrrha, being herself, decided to grab the bull by the horn.
"Jaune, come with me! I have an idea."
She took hold of a confused Jaune and dragged him away. Anon cringed, knowing what's going to happen.
"Stay strong, Jaune."
Anon froze, his conscience bringing him back to the past.
Why...
he thought back to Velvet.
Why do I...
he thought back to-
...sigh.
He walked off, toward the roof.
Here we go again.
...
"Y-you're wrong!" Jaune shouted. "I don't belong here."
Jaune and Pyrrha stood on top of one of the dorm buildings, arguing in the dimming light.
"That's a terrible thing to say!" Pyrrha was saddened that Jaune thought this way. "Of course you do!"
"No, I don't! I-"
The knocking came from the roof-access door, startling the pair.
"You might want to keep that to yourself, Jaune."
Anon leaned on the closed door cooly or what he thought was cool.
"Anon?" Jaune was confused. "What do you mean-"
"You're literally standing over Cardin's dorm."
Jaune took a moment to think about what he was about to say, then to where he stood. His face flashed a horrified look.
"You mean I could've..."
"Yup."
Pyrrha was confused, looking between the two like they were speaking a foreign language.
"What are you two talking about?"
Anon opened the door.
"Not here. Come to my room, it's a more private place." He turned around to leave. "It's about time you fess up anyhow, Jaune."
The two partners looked at each other, confused but for different reasons.
...
The pair had made their way over to Anon's door. Jaune hesitantly went to knock on the door, only for it to open by itself. The room was nothing to write home about, though it looked more like an apartment bedroom than an actual dorm. everything was neatly organized, with books in their bookshelves arranged in alphabetical authorial order. The only things that were disorganized were the desk and the bed, whom Anon sat upon.
"About time you two showed up."
"Sorry." The Canadian gladiatrix stereotypically apologized.
Jaune looked really nervous, constantly looking around and rubbing his arm.
"I'm not going to eat you, man. Chill out."
"I know it's just..." Jaune hesitated. "Do you... Do you know?"
Anon crossed his legs before exhaling.
"I know a lot of things, Jaune." He began listing off some things "I know you still sleep in a childish onesie at seventeen, I know you can't stand coffee so you drink cocoa instead, I know your sisters used to dress you up."
"OH, MY GODS!" Jaune yelled, startling the other two in the room. "IT WAS ONE TIME!"
Really?! I was shooting in the dark with that last one! Roll with it.
"Anyways... The point is, I know many things. Including your transcripts."
Jaune felt all of his strength leave him at this admission. He began trembling as the weight of his situation hit him all at once.
"Oh..." He couldn't say much else.
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, nervous at the shady implications.
Anon looked to Jaune expectantly.
"Well?"
Jaune looked down in shame.
"I... I lied!" He admitted, his voice cracking. "I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't earn my spot at this Academy!"
He looked up, to her and Anon.
"I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"
Pyrrha shook her head in disbelief.
"What?! Why?!"
"Cause this is always what I've wanted to be!" he turned away to not see the look on Pyrrha's face. "My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough."
Pyrrha tried to assure him by gently laying her hand on his shoulder.
"Then let me help you!" she pleaded.
Jaune turned around and slapped her hand away in frustration.
"I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"
Pyrrha tried to say something but he wouldn't let her.
"I'm tired of being the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives! Don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own... Then what good am I?"
The room chilled as silence settled. Anon shook his head.
"You're an idiot." He admonished bluntly.
The room remained silent, though for another reason this time. Anon wore an impassible expression but the way he was pinching the bridge of his nose betrayed his frustration.
"You aren't a superhero with insane learning growth, Jaune." he pointed to Pyrrha. "Everyone started out somewhere, even prodigies."
He turned to Pyrrha.
"If you tell me you've never hit the dirt a few times in the past, I'll know your full of shit."
"It is true that it took a lot of training before I was deemed ready for the arena," Pyrrha admitted humbly.
"See? Jaune, you started out with a huge disadvantage. You shouldn't blame yourself for struggling."
Jaune kept his eyes to the floor. Anon held him by the chin, making him look into his hollow eyes.
"If you don't believe us, ask your dad. I can guarantee you that he had it rough too, even if he went to combat school."
Anon let go.
"You have incredible potential, man. I know, Pyrrha knows and Ozpin knows."
Jaune's brow scrunched in confusion.
"Ozpin?"
Anon 'smiled'.
"He already knew about your transcripts."
"WHAT?!"
Anon chuckled at Jaune's incredulity.
"He's older than dirt, Jaune. You ain't the first to fake his shit. From the very beginning, he knew. Why do you think that Glynda's goes harder on you than anyone else?"
He held his arms outward.
"And seeing as you're still here, it's probably a sign that he believes in you as much as we do."
Jaune was beyond bewildered at the revelation.
"Then... What do i-"
"You train. You fight. You get better and better until you can stand on equal ground to the rest."
Anon smirked and turned back around.
"You have people looking out for you, do your best and we'll be happy."
He waved them off.
"It's getting late now, you best get to your dorm now."
Jaune kept his eyes fixated on the ground, still lost in thought.
"I... I don't know..."
"You don't have to, Jaune."
He mustered the will to look up to Anon, whose back was turned to him.
"Not right away." For the first time since Jaune met him, Anon seemed to falter. "Just... Just think about what I said, ok?"
...
The moon reached its zenith as Anon sat in front of his window, his cigar smouldering between his fingers. He kept thinking back to what he said, his face impassible but his eyes animating a hollow glimmer of bitterness.
"I'm a dirty fucking hypocrite." He thought aloud.
He took a long puff from his cigar, letting the smoke hang in his mouth. The more he thought about his intervention in the story, the more he felt a certain creeping sensation going down his spine.
I don't know why, but I feel like I just meddled in something I shouldn't have.
V1E6: END!
NEXT ON PLAYLIST: V1E7 - PLAY?